Rural-delivery mail-box.



PATENTED PEB.

M. s.1\mRTo1\.` y RURAL DELIVEM MAIL B0X.

A PPLIOATION FILED DEO. 30, 1901.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

lMAsON NORTON, or rnANcisoo, cALrroRNIA. RuRAL-DELn/ERY MA\\ 'eox.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 720,279, dated. February 10, 1903.

Applicntimi tiled December 30,1901. Serial No. 87,738. (No model.) I

To all?, whom, it muy concern.- l upon a hinge located at one side'of the open Beitknown thatl, MASON S. NO1t"rON,a citil end of the cylinder. The inner portion ot the 'lien of the United States, residing in the city door is adapted to close into the end of the 55 and county of San Francisco, State of Cali-I cylinder, and it has a flange projecting outfornia, have invented an Improvement in wardly, which closes flush against the mouth Rural-Delivery Mail-Boxes; and l. hereby ofthe cylinder. A projecting hood 2, fixed declare the following to be a full, clear, and l to the top ot' the cylinder, overhangs ,the upexact description of the saine. f per periphery of the door-flange and serves 6o My invention relates to an apparatus for to prevent water from entering between it facilitating the delivery or collection of mailand the end ofthe case and to direct any wamatter, and especially with reference to such ter which may fall upon it down upon each clc may be closed or the entire diameter line 'w w, Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a transverse secdelivery and collection in rural districts. side, so that it is delivered away from the It consists in a novel construction ot' a redoor and there is no danger Oi its entering 65 ceptacle for mail-matter, a means for securvthe box. rlhe hinge consists of' a ,projccting it to the post or support where it is ating lug or lugs 3 upon the door, tting betached, a hinged door by 'which the receptatween the corresponding lugs 4:, secured tol the side of the case and entirelyexterior\ to its periphery. The-part attached to the 7o door' tits between the lugs fixed tO the case, and the pintle lG is fitted into these lugs. The upper' part is closed at top, so that no access can be hadto it when the door is closed. This pintle is secured by a set-screw, as at 7, 75 o'r equivalent vmeans to which no access can be had until the door is opened, thus preventing this portion from being tampered with. From the -opposite side of the dooropening is the lock. This lock I prefer to 8o construct with a spring-forced engaging bolt for locking and with two vertical passages, with 'downward openings unlike each other, for two keys unlike eachother for `unlockopened for the reception ,or removal of the contents, and means foi-protecting the dooropening.

My inventioni'urther comprises an indi-cator and means for locking it in either position, whereby the position cannot be changed except when the door has'been opened.

My invention also comprises details of construction, which will be more fully explained by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of my invention. Fig. 2 is a' horizontal section on the tion on the line 'y ly, Fig. 2. Fig. i isa view of the lower face of the upper disk and a top view of the lower disk. Fig. is a view of the door-hinge. Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section on the line :i: m, Fig. 2, of the doorlock.

It is the object of my invention to provide a mail-boicot such contour as to give the respective holes by the postnian would unlock all the boxes .in his circuit, while the other key, unlike the first, operated in its respective hole by the person to whom a. box is appropriated, will unlock his particular box QR, only. This lock is contained `within a raingreatest capacity and resistance to injuries proof housing 9, which is secured to the side with the most economical construction and the box.; opposite to the hinge, and its bolt` means by which it is readily opened to its projects inwardly through the periphery of fullest extent or locked and hermetically thebox, so that when thedoor is closed the 1:1 sealed against the elements when closed. l keeper l0, which projectsl from the inner fach In carrying out my invention Ihave shown ot the door, passes the bolt, which `heling the box A, made cylindrical in form and prefspring-actuated will be I retracted to allow erably ot' snfliciently heavy galvanized or the keeper to pass and immediately spring otherwise protected metal, so as to resist the out and engage the keeper, so as to prevent :or

action of the elements and be little liable to the door from being opered untilthe bolt injury from exterior attack. One end is perhas been retracted by the use of a key in its manently closed and the other is lett open respective hole. p

and provided with a door B, adapted to swing In Order to mount the apparatus, l have ing to open the door. One key'used in its 85 the inside,

may be conveniently :a vedere shown a saddle ll, one part of which is curved to fit the periphery of the box, and it is secured near the center to the side of the box by screws, bol'.` s, or rivets, so that it cannot be removed from the outside.

All parts-such as the hinges, the lock, casing, and the saddlemay be riveted or preferably secured by screws or bolts from so as to be only accessible for removal when the door is opened.

The saddle here described is hollow, and it attached to a post, tree, or any structure convenient for its support by means of a plate l2, which is bolted upon the structure and has lugs 13 projecting outward and adapted to engage with an overhanging lip lat in the upper part of the saddle, which projects sufficiently from the side of the cylinder forthis purpose. Ahole is made through the cylinder, passing through the interior of the saddle, and a screw l5 may be introduced through this holeand intoascrewthreaded projection 16 upon the plate, so that when the lip over the lugs 13 and this screw introduced, the device is strongly secured in place, but can be easily removed by disengaging the screw and lifting it from the plate. This saddle also'serves for the support of the vertical shaft 17, upon the upper end of which is fixed the metallic indicator or directionplate 18. This shaft extends down through a hole made vertically in the top of the saddle and intoa sleeve 19, which is turnable in guides within the saddle b f means of a crank 20, projecting below'the saddle or equivalent device. The shaft lnay besccured in the sleeve by a set-screw or other convenient means, so as not to be removableexcept by removing the box from its support, so as to obtain access through the rear'open side of the saddle. The sleeve has upon its lower end a disk 2l,

from the lower face of which project radial V-shaped lugs 22, and the bottom of the interior of the saddle hasa corresponding raised disk, with radial slots 23, which receive the lugs 22 when the latter are in line with them. These slots correspond with difere'ntpositions which it is desired to give to the indicator at the top of the shaft. Thus if the indicator is to stand parallel with the length of the box, with the point in one the tail in the opposite, the lugs 22 will correspond with the slot 23 and into them by means of a spring 24, which snrrounds the sleeve 19, in which the shaft is carried, and this spriugwill force lthe lugs and slots into engagement whenever they stand in line with each other. If the indicator is to be turned to the opposite direction, the lugs are lifted out of the slots and will ride upon the disk until they reach the next set of slots, into which they` will drop unless moved still farther. The lugs and slots being Vshaped,a moderate pres-sure upon the crank or turningr device will force them out of engagement, and they will as easily drop into cnof the saddle has been hooked' direction and gagement when they arrive in proper position. The indicator may in like manner be set transversely of the axis of the box, these different positions being understood to show whether there is inail-matter to be collected by the carrier or whether there is matter in the box which is to be collected by the occupants of the house or place to which the box is appropriated, andthe indicator is turned by the carrier or by the occupants of the house, as the case may be, sol that the carrier without dismounting 'can inspect the box at a considerable distance from his path, and the people at the house can in like manner determine whether anything has been left for them without opening the box. In order' to lock the indicator when thus set to prevent its being changed'by mischievious or malicious persons, I have shown a rod 60, guided and movable and slidable within the box and having an arm 61, bent Aat right angles, projecting through a slotin the side of the box and entering'a chamber in the saddle which contains the lockingjpa'rts above described. This arm serves to engage the disk on the sleeve which carries the shaft of the indicator and prevent its being lifted out of engagement with the corresponding grooves, which prevent its'turning. When the arm is withdrawn from above the disk, the latter can be liftedand the shaft and indicator turned, as

above described. This normally pressed out of engagement .with the disk by a spring, as at 26. The end of the rod contiguous to the mouth of the box lies rod, with its arm, is

IOO

in such a position that when the door-is closed y it will press against the end of the rod, thus forcing the arm to a position above the disk, which is then locked, so that the shaft and indicator cannot be turned from the outside. As soon as the door is unlocked and opened the spring will force the arm away from thel disk and leave it and its indicator free to be turned by the person who has opened the box, so as to give any new indication that may be desired; but as soon as the door is closed it again forces the arm forward and locks the indicator i-n place.

The door has a tablet, namesof those whose mail is to be left in that box. This tablet may be changed from the inside only, where also changes of address may be noted. A very convenient construction is to make an opening of the desired sizeand shape through the door and fit a glass to the front and a metal plate to the back, between which the cards carrying the names may be placed.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patl. A mail and delivery box, means for removably securing it consisting of a saddle fixed to the side of thebox havingalip in the upper part, a plate fixed to the support having lugs adapted to be engaged by the lip, a screw-socket upon the lower part of theplate IIO where appear the curing it thereto,a hollow saddle. having a with either when in line therewith, and a verprojecting throiigh the top of the saddle havof the indicator may ried, a sleeve within which the lower end of the interior of the box.

dicator-standard vertically supported above vcal tnrnable standard upon which it is car` the lugs, means by which the disks are normally forced together and caused to interlock and a screw adapted to enter said socket from mally forced together and caused to interlock 2. 'A inail-box made cylindrical in forni, a saddle ixed to and projecting from 'the side of the box having a lip in the upper part, a l plate viinedto the support lhaving ings adaptled to be engaged by thel'p, a screw-socket upon the lcirf'er' vpart of the plate, a screw adapted to einer thrcughthe interior of the non and secure the latter in place and an in' 6. Anindicatcr lormail-boxes having avertical and tnrnable stan dard, a socket in which the lower end is fixed, interlocking disks, one of which is carried upon the standard, means by whichA the disks are caused to interlock when the lugs and grooves coincide, an arm by which the parts are retained in engage-` 3. A inail-box, a support and means for se of the door, and means by which it is released when the door is opened'.

7. A inail-box indicator having avertical disk in' tliebottom withI transverse radial grooves, a hollow sleeve having a disk at the lower "end with radial lugs corresponding vwith vthe grooves and adapted to interlock which the standard and indicator are retained in any desired position, a lock by which the indicator is prevented from turning, an arm extending from the lock into the path of the door whereby the lock is actuated when the door is closed, and means by which thel'ock is released when the door is opened to lallow` the position4 of the indicator to be changed?" 8. A mail-box indicator having a revoluble standard, interlocking'disks by which the position of the indicator is maintained,a lock I'therefor and means actuated by the closing of the door to cause it to engage means whereby it is released .when thedoor is opened, and a-lever-arm whereby the are turnable when released.

In witness whereof I have 4hereunto setimy hand.

tical shaft er standard fixed within the sleeve ing an indicator carried upon the nppervend and turnable therewith whereby the position be dried.

It. An indicator ormail-b'oxes and a vertiried, a sleeve withinwhich the lowerend of the standard is fixed, a. disk carried by the sieeve having radial lugs, a corresponding iixed disk having grooves corresponding with when the lugs and grooves-coincidez` 5. rAn indicator -forvmailboxes and cal'tnrnable standard upon 1a' vertiwhich itis car- MASON S. NORTON. the standard is xed,'a disk carried by the sleeve having radial lugs, acorresponding fixed disk having grooves corresponding with i Witnesses:

S; H. Nonnsn, Jnssin C BnonIn.

the lugs, a means. by which the disks are nor- 4o when the lugs and grooves coincide, and-a locking device to prevent their being disenv ment, said arm being actuated by the closing turnable standard, interlocking disks by 

